Investing in Belgium

Belgium is an EU member located in Western Europe. It has a strong industrialized economy, well-developed transportation infrastructure, and a highly productive work-force making it an attractive destination for foreign capital.

Belgium’s Main Industries

Belgium is economically known for its strength in:

Diamonds

Industrial and Manufacturing Sector

Engineering and Metal Products

Minerals Processing

Copper

Zinc

Lead

Steel and Iron Production

Heavy machinery and industrial equipment production

Motor and Vehicle Assembly and Production

Automobiles

Ships and vessels

Petroleum

Food and Beverage Processing

Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

Sulphuric Acid

Nitric Acid

Synthetic Ammonia

Crude Tar

Textiles Processing

Cotton

Wool

Linens

Synthetic Fabrics

Spinning

Weaving

Belgium’s Main Stock Exchange

The main stock exchange in Belgium is:

1. Euronext Brussels

Founded in the early 19th century

Merged with the ParisBourse and Amsterdam Exchanges to form Euronext

Euronext provides a single, cross-border exchange for markets in equities and derivatives

Main Index

i. BEL 20 – includes twenty highly liquid Belgian equities

Belgium is an important trading partner with many EU members, and as such, many companies in the EU region have also listed on the Euronext Brussels.

Glimpse into Belgium’s Equity Market

Belgium listed equities have rebounded following the 2008 financial crisis yielding around 30% from recessionary bottoms, as represented the BEL 20 index.